Russia is targeting water intakes: Mykolaiv is preparing mobile water stations with a capacity of 300,000 m³/day; possible water supply schedules
Because of the absence of a single operator, decisions will be made by local authorities, and the repair of the damage will be delayed for weeks
Ukraine is strengthening the protection of water supply infrastructure ahead of possible summer attacks by the Russian Federation, with Mykolaiv and Mykolaiv Oblast particularly at risk, where damage to a single intake could leave an entire settlement without water.
According to RBC-Ukraine, the adversary may deliberately strike water intake facilities and pumping stations, which would lead to supply disruptions and long restoration times that could stretch for weeks.
«We often operate a single intake system. Even where there is a backup, it is actually located next to the main one. If there is a hit, everything will be destroyed at once», — noted Artem Shyra, Vice President of the Ukrainian Water Association.
For regional centers, in particular for Mykolaiv, the deployment of mobile water intake stations with a capacity of up to 300 thousand cubic meters per day is being considered; these can temporarily replace stationary facilities and sustain a minimally necessary level of water supply.
In the event of network damage, the introduction of water supply schedules is possible, since there is no single central operator in the water sector similar to energy; therefore decisions will be made by local authorities taking the specific situation into account.
Territories at increased risk include Mykolaiv Oblast, Odesa, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Donbas and Kyiv.
Protection of critical nodes is being reinforced with engineering structures — concrete shelters, sandbags and gabions — as well as coverage by air defense assets, while in the long term they plan to move to a model with multiple water intake sources so as not to depend on a single facility.
Previously we wrote:
- Mykolaiv prepares to launch new filtration: the city council transfers treatment facilities to the balance of “Mykolaivvodokanal”
- RNBO launches a Resilience Plan for regions: Kim outlined strengthening protection of energy, water and heat
- “Southern Bug – a river with sewage discharges”, – Senkevych explained why water in Mykolaiv has deteriorated
- Another 1.7 million Swiss francs are being donated by Europeans for Mykolaiv’s water supply
- With gas torches against the ice: Mykolaiv utility workers save water distribution points
